Audit affects free medicines distribution in hospitals
CM had directed officials to digitalize medicine records at public sector hospitals. PHOTO: EXPRESS FILE
Patients in several big hospitals in Lahore and other cities of Punjab are facing problems in receiving free medicines because of delay in payments to pharmaceutical companies amid an audit.
Crowds of patients are seen outside the offices of the medical superintendents for getting free medicines after not being provided the facility by the staff.
According to sources in the Punjab health authorities, lack of payment of around Rs1 billion to pharmaceutical companies has caused the situation. They said medicine distributors and producers had threatened to stop the supply if they would not be paid.
Patients of fever, infection, pain and other ailments complained of unavailability of free medicines.
The problem is more serious in Lahore, where the teaching hospitals receive thousands of patients daily, a majority of whom cannot afford to purchase the medicines. They include residents of other cities and villages. The government had launched the free medicine service around two months ago.
A senior health official said patients in the wards and outpatient departments were provided free medicines as per the Punjab government's policy but the specialised healthcare department had stopped payments for the medicines purchased by the director general's office.
The official said payments of around Rs1 billion were pending. The companies stopped the supply after not being paid for the past five months.
The sources said the department had purchased medicines worth Rs6 billion last year and Rs1 billion from the amount had not been paid. They said the chief minister had provided Rs4 billion for providing the free medicines.
Another official said an audit had been started to ensure the free medicine facilities and the payments would be made after its completion.
He said no medicine company would be deprived of dues but transparency and merit would be ensured through the audit.
However, Punjab health department spokesman Hamad Raza said free medicines were available in all hospitals of Punjab and there was no crisis.
Meanwhile, Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir has said that over 10,000 hepatitis and tuberculosis patients had received free medicines at their doorsteps.
Presiding over a meeting, he announced that child emergency facilities would soon be introduced in district hospitals. The performance of low-performing district health CEOs and medical superintendents was reviewed in the meeting.
The minister said more than 800,000 people had benefitted from free medicines, tests and treatment through field hospitals.
With additional input from APP